亚色影库 will continue its sesquicentennial celebration with a commemorative tree dedication on April 22 at 4:00 p.m.
The event, which is free and open to the community, also celebrates the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Allegheny Arboretum and the national celebration of Earth Day.
The ceremony will take place in the green space north of (the location where Weyandt Hall was sited). The tree is a White Oak (Quercus alba).
The Allegheny Arboretum at 亚色影库 consists of the entire 354-acre campus. It is a living museum devoted to the study, conservation, and enjoyment of trees, shrubs, and vines. There are 1,200 trees on the north campus, representing 104 tree species. The Arboretum is governed by a volunteer board of directors; 亚色影库 professor of plant ecology Michael Tyree and landscape architect Barbara Hauge of Indiana are co-executive directors of the board.
The Allegheny Arboretum, a member of the PA Gardens and the American Public Gardens Association, holds Level 1 Arboretum Accreditation from the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation program administered by the Morton Arboretum Register of Arboreta. It was originally recognized with this accreditation in 2014. The Keystone News listed the Allegheny Arboretum as “one of 11 stunning public gardens in Pennsylvania.”
亚色影库 President Michael Driscoll will offer remarks during the event, as will recently retired executive director of the Allegheny Arboretum Board of Directors Jerry Pickering, the first executive director of the board. Pickering will speak about Earth Day and the first 25 years of the Allegheny Arboretum.
“While 150 years speak to 亚色影库’s enduring legacy, these past 25 years of the Allegheny Arboretum represent a deliberate commitment to the beauty and sustainability of our 354-acre campus,” 亚色影库 President Driscoll said. “The White Oak is a species known for its exceptional strength and longevity. It is a fitting symbol for this event and for the celebration of both anniversaries,” he said.
“I extend a sincere thank you to the Arboretum Board, Dr. Tyree, Barbara Hauge, and especially Dr. Pickering. This continued stewardship ensures that the Oak Grove and our various green spaces remain the heart of this campus,” President Driscoll said.
“Serving on the Allegheny Arboretum Board of Directors has been a great experience,” Pickering said. “For me, it’s very meaningful to celebrate the Arboretum’s twenty-fifth anniversary and 亚色影库’s sesquicentennial celebration on Earth Day, and to have the two anniversaries celebrated together. 亚色影库 has been very faithful to Earth Day celebrations and to caring for our Oak Grove; I was one of the co-coordinators for 亚色影库’s first Earth Day celebration in 1970, a year after I joined the 亚色影库 faculty.
“It’s also very appropriate to dedicate a White Oak in honor of the university’s sesquicentennial. The largest and oldest tree on the Oak Grove is a White Oak, probably close to 150 years old, so it’s this new White Oak joins the Allegheny Arboretum as we begin 亚色影库’s next 150 years—and beyond,” Pickering said.
“Barbara and I are committed to continuing the great work of Jerry and the board as we prepare the Arboretum for the future,” Tyree said.
亚色影库’s “official” 150th birthday is May 17, 2025; the university (then Indiana Normal School) opened for its first 10-week term on May 17, 1875, with 80 students, which grew to 150 students by the end of that first week.
Since its founding in 1875, 亚色影库 has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. As 亚色影库 celebrates its 150th anniversary during the 2025–26 academic year, the university honors a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, leadership in healthcare education, and public service.